This book provides material and practical suggestions to help new writers give shape and substance to their ideas. A wide range of literary forms, ranging from one-act plays and novels to shape poems and sonnets, are reviewed and the author explores many of the basic aspects of imaginative writing, such as the creation of characters, writing dialogue, and different ways of using atmosphere and setting effectively. The emphasis throughout is not on dissection but on doing - and nearly all chapters have lots of suggestions for subjects to write about and different ways of approaching them, to help develop the writer's skills and critical powers. This edition includes a new chapter on realism and examines the different literary styles encompassed by it. The author has also included a suggested reading list which includes novels, plays and poetry.